Method of and mold for making pressed cement tiles



Aug. 24 1926.

A. M. GRIMM METHOD OF AND MOLD FOR MAKING PRESSED CEMENT TILES Filed August 7, 1925 Patented Aug. 24, 1926.

UNITED STATES Application filed August My invention is a method of and mold for making pressed cement tiles of variegated colors and pattern and in the molding blocks utilized therein and in the re- I sulting product or tiles.

In the attempts to make molded cement tiles of variegated pattern and colors it has been diflicult to obtain a true and distinct line between the diflerent parts of the pattern and to prevent intermingling of the colors at their adjoining edge. -Moreover, the variegated patternwhich is usually a relatively thin face is often not secured to theback of the tile with a sufiicient bond-to form a permanent and'in efi'ect integral tile. In the prior procedure sometimes one or more of the colored sections of a tile be- .come knocked away from the base thus spoiling the tile by insuflicient bond therewit In the method of making my pressed ce- 'ment tiles I utilize a'smooth flat surface face platewhichis preferably polished in order to efiect a glaze on the tile as hereafter explained. The mold surrounding the rim of the plate is preferably made of steel in order to stand the high pressure of molding. In forming the mold I use a series of stencils or more properly called stencil blocks which are fitted inthe mold to make the complete pattern of variegated tile. I prefer to use a full set of stencil blocks so that they may all be properly centered. These blocks are so constructed that they may be-removed ment. desired may be molded on the face plate before the other or adjacent tile sten-' cil blocks are removed and the particular color cement inserted in their lace.

40 In one method of procedure provide the ninxannnza M. ennum,

one at a time andthe particular colored ce-" OF HEMET, CALIFORNIL METHOD OF AND HOLD FOR MAKING PRESSED CEMENT TILES.

7, 1925. Serial No. 48,735.

locking or bonding function at the backwith the filling material of the tile.

My invention will be more readily understood from the following description and drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a face view of a finished tile indicating one multicolored design.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mold with the removable stencil blocks inserted to thereinprior to molding the face.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 2 on a vertical plane on the line 3-3.

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3 indi cating the multicolored face sections molded with the backing material thereon-and with the press block bearing on the backing material. I 7 a Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fi i in which the face blocks of the stencil have been preferably allof the same level and the facesections of the tile are molded all of substantially the same thickness.

Referring to Fi 1, which illustrates one form of a finishe tile with a multicolored F design, for purposes of illustration the dif-, ferent portions are illustrated with a sim: ple design in which the central section 1 is indicated as being a blackcolor, the adjacent section. 2 a red and the small lateralsections 3v as a yellow color. These face sections are molded to a .tile backing material as hereafter described.

Iteferring articularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the molding ace plate 4 is preferably made of steel with a polished face and the mold 5 is preferablyrformed of a heavy strong metal towithstand the pressure of molding as hereafter described. The stencil blocks are designated generally by the numeral 6 in which the central block 7 forms the stencil blocks with curved edges so that in \mold for the black 60101 the t-3.

removing a block it may be rocked or pivoted on one side and withdrawn from positionwithout disturbing the other blocks and likewhen the colored cement is molded in theplace of the. block the adjacent block can be tilted outwards with a curved motion without disturbing the surface edge of the freshly molded section. In some cases I also mold the'difierent sections of the tiles of different depths "so that they will have a oil blocks 8 for the red color 2 and the outer segmental blocks 9 for the yellow color 3. These blocks are preferably provided with a screw threaded recess 10 in which is in- .serted a removable stem ll. These stems may however, be permanently attached to each mold section but for intricate work it is desirable to remove the stems so that the individual colored sections of cement may be properly molded into position. v

.curve being drawn from the point 17 where the upper edge contacts with the outer edge of theadjacent blocks 8.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 the various stencil blocks are of differentthicknesses but if desired they may also be made of a uniform thickness and the bevelled and curved edges may be reversed so that the inner section will be the first to'be removed instead as shown being the last to be removed.

The operation of molding the colors is substantially as follows :-As above described I prefer to fill the mold completely with the stencil blocks so as to center the pattern properly and uniformly for each tile to be molded. In the design shown the outer segments 9 are removed by pivoting them upwardly using the point 17 as a center of rotation. The cutaway portion or as it may I be termed the under cut edge formed by the curve 16.allows this section to be removed although its upper outside edge is in close engagement with the inner face of the mold.

The colored cement-in this case indicated as yellow; after being properly dampened.

preferably with a soapy" water, is sprinkled on the face plated in each section where the stencil blocks 9 have been removed. This colored cement is then slightly molded until it is pressed into the outside under out part of the adjacent mold block 9 formed by the curve 13 and is molded against the mold 5 give clear distinct and sharp edges. Tlns may bespread to the desired thickness and may be as thin as one-eighth of an inch. The next adj aoent stencil blocks 8 are then removed by carefully pivoting them upward as if rotated on the center 14 so that the outer curvededge 13 will draw clear of the outer molded section without disturbing the edge against the face plate 4. A colored cement indicated as a red and prepared as above described is then molded into the space vacated by the stencil blocks and as indicated by Fig. 4 this color' is molded slightly thicker than the outside'color. The inner block 7 is then removed, and as illustrated on account of the bevels 12 may be lifted vertically. The central co or is then sprinkled and molded into the ace vacated by these blocks, being if desired slightly thicker than the adjacent sections. The mold s then filled to the desired depth teeters to give the thickness of tile required with a suitable cement properly gmoistened' and mixed with sand, using either an ordinary quick or a slow setting cement. The press block 20 is then inserted on top of the filling 21 and subjected to a high pressure such as about-1000 pounds per square inch. The higher the pressure the more glassy is the surface of the finished tile. I

The tiles are then removed from the mold by separating the face plate 4, the mol 5 and the press block 20 and are prefera ly allowed to stand fortwenty-"four hours exposed to the air and are then submerged inv water for varying lengths of time from a few minutes to a day or more according to the cement used. After submergence they are dried and the surface polished to a desired extent. j

In some classes of more or less rough work the edges of the stencil blocksmay be made vertical, that is at right angles to the face plate 4 instead of being formed on bevels and curves as illustrated in Fig. 3 and would thus form molded sections of the different colors with substantially a vertical Fig. 5. These sections may also be molded to a uniform height if desired and to do so the stencil blocks would preferably all be the same height.

It is to be noted that in the procedure of molding as described in connection with Figs. 3'and 4 the different sections in being molded slightly higher than the adjacent section, can be spread out to form a species of dovetailed edges .23 which will more firmly interlock and bond with the backing material. Moreover, the sections being of different height, even if not molded outwardly, give a better bondin'g than the sections all of the same thickness.

By this procedure, if I am making floor tiles I can use a softer material for the deeper sections which will not form as hard the rubbing action or by use on a floor these tiles acquire the appearance of antique tiles as used several centuries ago. j

It will be obvious that the designs of tiles may be varied almost without limit and that the procedure may be reversed in forming the central portion of the tile first and then working towards the outside. Also in more or less roulgh work it is not necessary to complete the filling of the mold with the stencil blocks before. molding the cement. Other modifications of my invention may be developed to suit special requirements without departi fromthe spirit of,.my in- .vention. a

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of making substantially fiat cement tiles face down, comprising building up a design with stencil blocks face down in a mold, said blocks fitting close together with substantially no vacant space therebetween, removing certain of the blocks upwardly, filling the space vacated thereby with a cement inserted downwardly, removing other blocks upwardly, filling the space so formed with other cements inserted downwardly and allowing the cements to set into a unitary tile.

2. The method of making substantially flat cement tiles face down, comprising forming a pattern with stencil blocks in a mold face down, said blocks fitting close together with substantially no vacant space therebetween, removing certain of the stencil blocks upwardly, molding and pressing cement inserted downwardly into the space vacated, removing an adjacent block upwardly, molding cement inserted downwardly into the space vacated, said cement binding on the first mold of cement, removing a third block upwardly and molding a cement inserted downwardly into the space vacated'and allowing the different sections of cement to set forming a unitary tile. i"

3. The method of forming asubstantially flat faced pressed cement tile comprising forming a complete pattern with s'tenc'il' blocks in a mold -face down, removing upwardly difierent stencil blocks indicating different features of the design in succession and as each is removed molding a cement downwardly, the cement being of different colors or characteristics in the place vacated by the blocks, molding the different sections of different depths, placing a backing mate rial in the mold and pressing the backing material to form a unitary tile.

4. The method of forming a pressed cementtile as claimed in claim 3, comprising removing certain of the blocks in a curved direction and pressing the cement of the different sections partially undera projecting part of the different blocks.

5. A mold for making cement tiles coniprising in combination a flat base plate, a mold wall extending upwardly around the base plate and a series of independent stencil blocks inserted in the mold resting on the base plate, forming a complete attern, said blocks fitting close together, caving substantially no vacant space,

6. A mold for makin cement tiles as claimed in claim 5, in w ich some of the blocks are thicker than others and adapted to form a guide for leveling ofl molded cement when an adjacent block is removed.

7. A mold for making cement tiles as claimed in claim 5, in which some of the blocks are formed of curved edges to allow said blocks to swivel against adjacent blocks with a hinging motion.

8. A mold for making cement tiles, com: prising in combination a face plate a mold surrounding the plate and extending up.- wardly therefrom, a series of independent stencils in the mold forming a complete design, some of said sections having convex and concave adjoining edges, such edges being formed on a radius substantially equal t3 the width of the tile having the convex e e.

g. A stencil block for forming cement blocks of variegated sections, having a flat lower face, a convex edge on one side, said convex edge forming a substantially under cut part of a block against which cement may be molded and said convex edge being substantially of the same radius as the distance from the lower undercut edge to the upper opposite ed e, to allow removal of the block from a mol ed section of the tile with a curved motion.

10. The method of forming a substantially flat faced pressed cement tile, comprising forming a complete pattern with stencil blocks in a mold face down, iemoving upwardly difierent stencil blocks indicating different features of the design in succession and as each is removed molding a cement downwardly, the cement being of diffeizent colors or characteristics in the place vacated by the blocks, molding the differentsections of different depths, and placing a backing material in the mold.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification.

ALEXANDER M. GRIMM. 

